The Criminal Minds spin-off, Beyond Borders, has green-lit for a series run by CBS, but without Anna Gunn, who played one of the lead parts in the pilot.

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The reasons for Gunn not being taken on for the series were not clear, and if it was she that chose not to commit or if the producers dropped her. In a recent interview with TVLine, CBS President Nina Tassler might have hinted at why Gunn is missing from the confirmed lineup, while talking about replacements for her character. She suggested that Gary Sinise's character Jack Garrett made Gunn's role as Ally Lambert as dispensable.

Here's Tassler's quote to the publication:

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"Gary [Sinise] is sort of larger than life and [as Jack Garrett] he filled a lot of the same [needs as Gunn's character]. But we're actually going to be adding a couple of new characters" that "speak more to the needs of the franchise."

Beyond Borders focusses on an international unit of the BAU led by Garrett. Sinise had previously revealed the premise of the show. ""Every year there is thousands of Americans abroad who are in jeopardy and there is an international division of the FBI who goes to get them beyond borders, and that's our team," he said.

The pilot for Beyond Borders aired as an episode in season 10 of Criminal Minds on April 8.

Watch the promo for the episode here:

Tags: Criminal Minds Beyond Borders CBS television